So...Obamacare imposed a new tax. But then panicked, because the tax would have to be paid, and if someone has to pay something they can't claim that their chosen role as Santa is viable. Santa claims he doesn't like naughty kids, but in fact even the naughty kids want to keep stackin' that paper.

Friday, April 04, 2014

(a) the US should spend
billions (as it has) to achieve energy independence as an end in itself,
and
(b) the US should develop resources, if they are cheap and don't
produce too many externalities, and have energy independence be a
(mildly happy) consequence.

There is just no reason why anyone should strive for independence, if that requires this kind of neo-mercantilist nonsense.

Don't get me wrong: it would be great to have a significant new industry in the U.S., and a decline in the price of energy. All good for growth. But not because having a trade deficit has been "sucking the blood out" of our economy.

Thursday, April 03, 2014

A video of the Celestial Clock at the Municipal House here in Prague. You can't really see it here, but there is a skeleton ("Death") striking the time on the right, underneath the dancing Saints. Dancing Saints and Death keeping the time...nice.

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Is this the latest K-POP boy band sensation? Are all Yakuza congenitally incontinent? Are they so chickensh*t that they don't get tatoos on the parts underneath the diaper? Is that the Iron Chef in the middle? What in the sam hill do they got on their feets?